Shoe lace fastener



Jan. 1, 1963 "r. A. EBERWEIN SHOE LACE FASTENER Filed Aug. 4, 1961 A TTOR/VEY United States Patent Ofihce 3,@7ll,863 Patented Jan. 1, 1953 3,979,863 SHGE LACE FASTENER Thomas A. Eberwein, 1804 Pine St., Pueblo, Colo.

Filed Aug. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 129,382 3 Claims. (Q1. 24-121) This invention relates to a shoe lace fastener designed to prevent loosening and untying of shoe laces.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simpe, inexpensive and attractive fastener efficient for preventing loosening and untying of shoe laces, which is easy to apply to and remove from the tied laces.

Another object of the invention is to provide decorative means as part of the fastener which render the fastener attractive in appearance and conceal the utilitarian portion thereof when in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for attaching a separate ornamental disc or other device to the fastener for adding to its attractiveness. Such ornamental discs or other devices may bear the initials of the wearer, a sorority, fraternity, lodge, school or club emblem, or other indicia.

Another object of the invention is to produce a fastener efficient for its intended purposes made from a single fiat piece of metal or other suitable material which can be formed into the finished pro-duct by a simple bending and tempering operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the drawings and following specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a thin flat stamping of metal or other suitable material from which the fastener is formed.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the stamping of FIG. 1 after it hast been bent into shoe lace fastener form.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view in the plane of the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational View of a modification of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the fastener shown in FIG. 4.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, indicates a stamping of thin flat metal or other suitable material which can be bent and tempered, comprising a decorative front plate 11 provided with prongs 12 on its peripheral edge. The plate 11 preferably is integral with an elongated fiat relatively narrow stem or clip portion 13 provided with a slot 14 located midway between the stem ends. The slot preferably has side edges parallel to the edges of the clip portion 13.

The stamping 10 is formed into fastener shape by bending the stamping transversely at the junction 15 of the plate 11 and slip portion 13 so that the plate 11 will be substantially vertical and an upturned part 16 will extend upwardly rearwardly of the plate 11. The portion 13 also is bent gently to provide a curved portion 17 across the'areas adjacent the sides of the slot 14, whereby there is formed a shoe lace knot accommodating member beneath the crown 17 of the curved portion, terminating in the downturned end 18 located rearwardly of the upturned portion 16 of the clip member 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inner opposed surfaces 19 and 2% of the'respective upturned and downturned portions 16 and 18 are spaced apart sufificiently to allow the tied shoe lace 21 to pass therebetween, and the opposed surfaces 22, 23 are spaced apart to a slightly greater degree than the surfaces 19, 20, to provide a mouth for the fastener to facilitate placement of the fastener into position on the tied shoe lace. The spacing of the surfaces 19, is such that although the tied shoe lace can pass between said surfaces, the fastener is not likely to become disengaged while in use.

The front plate 11 may bear ornamental matter, or a separate disc or other form of plate 24 may be secured on the face of the plate 11 by bending the prongs 12 over the edge of the superposed plate 24 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The plate 24 may hear an initial, such as the A shown, or a sorority, fraternity, lodge, school or other emblem.

Changes may be made in the form, dimensions and arrangement of parts without departing from the invention, the specific form shown being for exemplary purposes.

I claim:

i. A shoe lace fastener adapted for quick slip on engagement with a knotted shoe lace, comprising a plane surfaced face plate constituting the exposed front face of the fastener and having free upper and side edges, and a clip member integrally connected to the lower edge of the face plate engaging a knotted shoe lace at opposite sides of the knot, said clip member consisting of a strip extending upwardly from the lower edge of the face plate adjacent the rear surface of the plate, said strip being rearwardly bent and downwardly curved and slotted toprovide a knot receiving top of the clip member concealed by said face plate, and a terminal strip portion extending downwardly from the curved top portion rearwardly of said upwardly extending strip, the opposed surfaces of said strip portions below said curved slotted top being spaced to form a restricted-passageway having an open bottom wider than the passageway, the clip member being adapted for sliding movement in a downward direction relatively to a knotted shoe lace for reception of the lace into said restricted passageway and entry of the knotted portion of the lace into the slotted curved top of the clip member, said fastener being removable from the shoe lace by a quick slip off movement in an upward direction.

2. A shoe lace fastener adapted for quick slip on engagement with a knotted shoe lace, comprising a plane surfaced face plate constituting the exposed front face of the fastener and having free upper and side edges, a plurality of prongs on said free edges, a separate plate contacting said plane surfaced face plate and retained thereon in superposed position by said prongs, and a lace engaging clip member integrally connected to the lower edge of the face plate engaging a knotted shoe lace at opposite sides of the knot, said clip member consisting of a strip extending upwardly from the lower edge of the face plate adjacent the rear surface of the plate, said strip being rearwardly bent and downwardly curved and slotted to provide a knot receiving top of the clip member concealed by said face plate, and a terminal strip portion extending downwardly from the curved portion rearwardly of said upwardly extending strip, the opposed surfaces of said strip portions below said curved slotted top being spaced to form a restricted passageway having an open bottom wider than the passageway, the clip member being adapted for sliding movement in a downward direction relatively to a knotted shoe lace for reception of the lace into said restricted passageway and entry of the knotted portion of the lace into the slotted curved top of the clip member, said fastener being removable from the shoe lace by a quick slip off movement in an upward direction.

3. A shoe lace fastener consisting of an integral initially flat thin piece of spring metal which can be bent and tempered, including a face plate portion constituting the exposed front face of the fastener and having free upper and side edges and a narrower relatively long strip connected to the bottom of the face plate portion and bent upon itself to form an upwardly and spmsss downwardly extending clip member having a slotted curved top and a downwardly extending clip portion, the opposed surfaces of said bent strip below said curved slotted top being spaced to form an open bottom restricted passageway, said open passageway of said clip members being adapted for quick slip on engagement with a knotted shoe lace and bearing on the lace at opposite sides of the knot by sliding movement in a downward direction relatively to the knotted shoe lace for reception of the lace into said restricted passageway through said bottom opening and entry of the knotted portion of the lace into the slotted curved top of the clip member said clip member and knotted lace being concealed by the face plate, said fastener being removable from the shoe lace by a quick slip ofi movement in an upward direction.

References titted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hammer June 20, 'Crowell Apr. 26, McDonald Sept. 27, Drake et a1. Sept. 5, Keil Aug. 1, Bogia Oct. 21, Petty Nov. 13, Winsor Mar. 10, McGinley Mar. 23, Joule Mar. 7, Mitchel Apr. 15, Shetzline et a1. Apr. 12, 

1. A SHOE LACE FASTENER ADAPTED FOR QUICK SLIP ON ENGAGEMENT WITH A KNOTTED SHOE LACE, COMPRISING A PLANE SURFACED FACE PLATE CONSTITUTING THE EXPOSED FRONT FACE OF THE FASTENER AND HAVING FREE UPPER AND SIDE EDGES, AND A CLIP MEMBER INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FACE PLATE ENGAGING A KNOTTED SHOE LACE AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE KNOT, SAID CLIP MEMBER CONSISTING OF A STRIP EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FACE PLATE ADJACENT THE REAR SURFACE OF THE PLATE, SAID STRIP BEING REARWARDLY BENT AND DOWNWARDLY CURVED AND SLOTTED TO PROVIDE A KNOT RECEIVING TOP OF THE CLIP MEMBER CONCEALED BY SAID FACE PLATE, AND A TERMINAL STRIP PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE CURVED TOP PORTION REARWARDLY OF SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING STRIP, THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF SAID STRIP PORTIONS BELOW SAID CURVED SLOTTED TOP BEING SPACED TO FORM A RESTRICTED PASSAGEWAY HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM WIDER THAN THE PASSAGEWAY, THE CLIP MEMBER BEING ADAPTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION RELATIVELY TO A KNOTTED SHOE LACE FOR RECEPTION OF THE LACE INTO SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGEWAY AND ENTRY OF THE KNOTTED PORTION OF THE LACE INTO THE SLOTTED CURVED TOP OF THE CLIP MEMBER, SAID FASTENER BEING REMOVABLE FROM THE SHOE LACE BY A QUICK SLIP OFF MOVEMENT IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. 